McCain has picked veep, but name under wraps
By Michael Kranish, Globe Staff
DAYTON, Ohio -- Senator John McCain today finalized his choice for running mate and then arrived in the battleground state of Ohio, where he plans to appear with his pick Friday at a noon rally.
The campaign hopes the unveiling, coming about 14 hours after Barack Obama's acceptance speech tonight, will deflate the "bounce" in support that Democrats are counting on from their convention.
McCain's decision followed months of suspense for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and other top vice presidential prospects. Romney is slated to appear with McCain at rallies this weekend in Pennsylvania and Missouri, but the McCain campaign said that does not necessarily mean Romney is the vice presidential candidate.
In addition to Romney, other top prospects include Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, a long-time friend of McCain; Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, the self-described "independent Democrat," and former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge.
The McCain campaign, having watched how Obama's pick was leaked last week, went to great lengths to try to keep the selection secret. One possibility was that several of the prospects would come to Dayton, thus shrouding the selection, a Republican strategist said. CNN reported tonight that the McCain campaign did not plan to announce the pick tonight, so as to avoid distracting from Obama's speech.
As McCain entered a Dayton hotel this evening, police kept reporters away from the lobby and prevented questions from being asked. McCain waved as he entered an elevator, saying, "Good to see you," and then went to his suite.
Romney left his schedule open for Friday amid speculation that McCain could pick him. "My guess is Mitt Romney, if I had to bet the ranch," Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas said on Fox News Channel this afternoon after confirming that she was not the selection.
A poll released tonight found that Romney had the support of nearly 40 percent of Republican delegates heading to their convention next week in St. Paul, far more than any other contender.
The New York Times/CBS News poll found that 30 percent of delegates did not offer a preference, and no other candidate won more than 7 percent support. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was named by 7 percent, Ridge and Pawlenty were the choice of 4 percent each, and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin were cited by 2 percent each.
Romney, who appeared at private events today in California, is viewed as a top prospect because of the belief that he could shore up the Republican ticket's credentials on economic issues. He also might help win the tossup state of Michigan, where Romney was raised and his father, George, served as governor. Romney might also help in Nevada, which has a large population of fellow Mormons.
However, Romney's chances could be hurt by the fact that he had a privileged upbringing and has a personal fortune in the hundreds of millions of dollars. He spent $45 million of his own money during the primaries, including paying for ads that questioned whether McCain is "the right Republican" to occupy the Oval Office. Romney said this week in Denver that he and McCain have patched up their differences since the primaries and have become friends, and he has become one of McCain's most active surrogates.
Pawlenty, while little-known nationally, is one of McCain's favorite politicians and one of the earliest major supporters of his presidential bid. He came from working class roots and worships at an evangelical church, and could counter the blue-collar appeal of the Democratic vice presidential selection, Senator Joseph Biden.
Pawlenty appeared early yesterday in Denver as part of the Republican Party's response to the Democratic National Convention, feistily attacking Obama, saying, "Senator Obama, what have you done and what have you run? When you look at those two questions, the answer is not much and nothing."
He then abruptly canceled several afternoon interviews, leading to speculation that it might be related to the vice presidential decision. Pawlenty also told Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, that he planned to be in Minnesota for the State Fair Friday.
McCain has spoken highly of all of the prospects. In an interview with Pittsburgh radio station KDKA, which aired today, McCain called Ridge "a great American and a great and dear friend and I rely on him and I have for many years." The two men are both Vietnam War veterans, but Ridge supports abortion rights so his selection would upset many Republicans.
Lieberman, who was the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee in 2000, has endorsed McCain and plans to address the Republican convention. While some anti-abortion delegates have said they would walk out of the convention if Lieberman is the vice presidential nominee, Lieberman could help McCain win over independents and Democrats.
McCain had hoped to make his choice by Tuesday, but he reportedly delayed the final decision because he wanted to discuss it with his wife, Cindy, who had returned to the McCain's home in Arizona on Wednesday night. A campaign official confirmed late today that McCain had made his decision and that the running mates would appear at Friday's rally.
While the nation has focused on the Democratic convention, McCain has garnered extensive coverage in the swing state of Ohio as a result of his decision to make the announcement here. Newspapers have been filled with stories for days about the McCain announcement, and his arrival this evening at Dayton International Airport was covered live on a local news station. By contrast, Obama made his vice presidential announcement in his home state of Illinois, which he is expected to carry easily, before traveling to swing states.
But the McCain campaign and local Republican officials today were reportedly scrambling to give away the remainder of 10,000 tickets to the Dayton rally, which they hope will be his largest and show enthusiasm for the Republican ticket, the morning after Obama accepted the nomination in a 75,000-seat stadium.
It's not "newsworthy." It's an ad. It's "adworthy."
Say Anything McCain will apparently say anything at any time to get some attention. What terrible timing. Almost as bad as the timing of Hurricane Gustav....what a pity, another hurricane heading toward New Orleans right as the Republicans meet to try and gloss over the last 8 years of negligence and misrule, including the Katrina tragedy.
wow, I really hope John McCain would have more dignity than that. Keep us guessing and string us along, fine. I can deal with those tactics.
But regardless of whether or not you're voting for Obama, this is an historical night in our nation's history.
You'd think a man who calls himself such a true Patriot would not only recognize that, but respect it.
I guess we'll get to see who John McCain really is.
what a nightmare it would be if he chooses romney and they won. how sickening it would be if romney snuck into the whitehouse through the back door like that. that said, i don't believe the polls that say mccain and obama are in a "dead heat". just wait until the debates, when folks see them side-by-side. how anyone could vote for mccain after that is beyond me.
To check the factual, history of Barack Hussein Obama. Go computer then find out. enter: “Obama/Saul Alinski”, “Obama, Bill Ayers Bernardine Dohrn”, “Obama/Jerry Kellman”, “Obama/Pro-Palestinian Arab-American Group”, “Obama/Rashid Khalidi”, “Obama/Betrayal of Alice Palmer”, etc., etc.
We forget the euphoria of 1958-59-60, surrounding the quick rise of Castro. We were all euphoric and fully assured when Castro took over Cuba. Castro promised CHANGE. Castro…as with Marxist training fooled us all. This was to our loss and regret. Such a fine poster-boy as Obama was a guarantee of 80% to 90% of all black voters for starters…why not Obama?) The formula is working like a charm. “neighborhood organizer”. Job: listen to the people’s troubles and travails. dig for information and listen with a sympathetic ear and keep track of their annoyances, complaints and information. “RUB THE WOUNDS AND RESENTMENTS UNTIL THEY’RE RAW AND BRING ON MORE COMPLAINTS” AND THEN PROMISE“CHANGE”! It worked for Castro! In 1958-59-60. Castro’s spoke of freedom and great things to come for all the Cuban people. Castro promised “CHANGE” JUST THE SAME AS Obama is doing now! It was straight out of the writings of Karl Marx.the ambiguous word “CHANGE” became the “BIG LIE”. “Obama was a self proclaimed student of Karl Marx since he was a young boy in Hawaii and continued on with his beliefs and studies. He continued his preparation until he was an under graduate at Harvard and proudly displayed a Russian Communist Flag in his dorm room”.
Obama is all rehetoric with no substance. The fact is that the Democrats are run by special interests 10X that of the Republicans. The Union who has spent nearly 29 million to support their goal of changing union voting from a private ballot to a public one and their money for Obama supports their goal.
McCain is not Bush, and is his own man, probably one of the most aggressive lawmakers to jointly work accross the isle. The proof is his experience, not his rhetoric.
At the end of the day, experience soothes doubt, and Obama might have the glitz, but no substance. Believe me when people walk into the booth and push the button, they will have voted on the realities of the candidates, not the self proclaimed big picture rhetoric.
The tendencies of the lunatic left continue: everything their opposition does causes the loones to whine.
"Political malpractice" according to the Obama campaign, if McCain announces or leaks his VP choice.
I can't stand these sonsabitches and will rejoice when their ridiculous campaign is over and we inaugurate the next president, John McCain!
I hear Dick Cheney was having Haliburton start up their secret hurricane fans on the west coast of Africa. the Hurricane tracking planes are actually seeding the clouds of Gustav to make New Orleans pay. Wait!....There is Spike Lee setting up cameras waiting for the CIA to blow up the levees that are still 3 years from completion....Oh those wascawly wepubwicans
Tonight I listened to Obama's speech at the Democratic Convention. To say I was greatly impressed by his wisdom and empathy and excited and stimulated by his vision for change would be a understatement. His was the finest speech made by a presidential candidate that it has been my privilege to hear, as I am too young to remember the speeches of the Kennedy brothers. I do not believe anyone since them can really compare. I can not imagine how anyone listening to tonight's speech could feel that there is any choice left to make. Who John McCain decides to make his VP, or when he does so is no more than a distraction at this point. For those of us who still care about America and want it to be a place that has a future where hope is not just campaign rhetoric, we can not afford four more years with a "Bush-leaque" Republican President.
point.
my question is what do the people of Arizona think of McCain....they know the pre-bs McCain the one that for them was punching a timecard and making sure his party staid grounded in reality
Yes, Obama has a lot to say.
But, I can't wait till McCain starts talking. He can and will say just about anything. This race will be over as soon as someone lets McCain talk for ten minutes.
McCain is and will always be a true american hero, but unfortunately age has proven him to be a demented idiot.
Hey Mcneticbob
At least if you're going to "SPIN" like BUSH, CHENY and MCCAIN and presumably Romney get your facts a tad closer to the truth. Barack Obama NEVER had a communist flag at Harvard as an undergraduate, an Obama blogger named Sam Graham-Felsen did. BFD!! BTW, Barack never went to Harvard as an undergrad he went to Columbia and then to Harvard Law.
And if you're so good with the computer, why not try "GEORGE BUSH EXECUTIONS" where you will find that George, Fidel and Raul share a lot in common when it comes to executing people.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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